thy womb: the critics' choice, a triumphant tandem

9/10/12

the critics' choice, a triumphant tandem

In their first collaboration, the leading actress and director of Thy Womb have proven themselves the pride of Philippine cinema with their world-class caliber:

NORA AUNOR
The first Filipino and the only actress in any nationality to win the Bisato d'Oro (Golden Eel) given by the Premio della Critica Indipendiente, an independent group of European critics covering the Venice International Film Festival. The group judges all the films in the entire Venezia official selection (not only the 18 films in competition but also the more than 50 other cinematic gems in the Orrizonte section and exhibition showcase). “Her class and intelligence as an actress lights up her performance with the necessary and important emotion. Nora Aunor shows that the work of an actress is to communicate ideas with intense expression and to make them credible…” reads the Bisato d’Oro citation.

BRILLANTE MENDOZA
Winner of La Navicella/Venezia Cinema prize from critics and the Rivisita del Cinematografo, an Italian publication. “La Navicella is awarded to the director of a film considered particularly relevant for the affirmation of human values.” The Navicella jury praised Thy Womb “for giving voice to the Bajau community in a respectful and emotionally involved manner… Ethnographic, the film goes beyond naturalism and turns into poetry. Mendoza brings to the screen an act of total love which stands out today as true scandal against frivolous provocation.” The best director at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival, Mendoza has joined an elite company of filmmakers who previously won the La Navicella: Stephen Frears, Abel Ferrara, Zhang Yimou, Louis Malle, and Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow. Mendoza also merited Special Mention for the P. Nazareno Taddei Award won by Kim Ki-duk whose Korean film “Pieta” won Venezia’s Golden Lion.

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A STORY AS DEEP AS THE SEA

“I am making a film about the Bajaus, with the aim to celebrate a nonviolent people amidst a very violent world. It’s an intriguing premise about a particular people of peace living in a place of endemic violence.

One of the most interesting peoples in southern Philippines, the Bajaus are native sea-dwellers that are also found in the neigh-boring Malaysian and Indonesian archipelagos. They are the so-called sea gypsies who are skilled in building various types of boats, and widely known as fishermen, pearl divers and mat weavers.

As a film, Thy Womb examines the opposing natures of two women (Nora Aunor/Shaleha’s sterility against Lovi Poe/ Mersila’s fertility) to reflect the prevailing condition in Tawi-Tawi, a place endowed with natural beauty and rich resources but mired in economic and socio-political crises. A quiet hell of a paradise, Thy Womb’s “birth place” and its environs are constant reminders of yesterday’s conflict that has remained unresolved up to the present.

The Bajaus are considered to be the most primitive and oppressed among several ethnic groups in the region; and they assume a subordinate status in their diverse and divided community, which includes the Samal and the Tausug, among others. But in spite of this, the Bajaus are generally perceived to be non-confrontational, forgiving, seemingly contented and happy people.

When wronged, it is said that the Bajaus would simply move to another place, bringing their houseboats (lepa-lepa), constantly roving, living in harmony with nature. To this day, they are mostly looked down, degraded and much maligned by their ethnic neighbors and others, thus rendering them harmless, helpless and almost powerless.

But in their heart of hearts, are they really so, or is it just another way of life merely misunderstood by those inured to violence? With this thought and theme, and my curiosity further piqued, the narrative voice of the film has emerged loud and clear.

With intensive research and truthful depiction of certain characters and their circumstances, as articulated in the poignant tale of an aging, childless couple who resolve to find the mother of their much-wanted child, I hope Thy Womb would show a slice of life in the best possible light."

– BRILLANTE MENDOZA